Magdalene laundries in Ireland were
run from 1922-1996 by the Catholic Church.
Young girls and women who were pregnant outside of marriage, deemed
likely to become pregnant outside of marriage, troubled, or believed to be
inconsistent with society by the Catholic Church and/or Irish state were sent to
the laundries for reformation and to provide unpaid labour. Approximately 10,000 Irish women were
incarcerated in these places. The
laundries utilized the slave labour of the incarcerated women to do laundry
while the women received no compensation for their work. The living conditions in the Laundries were physically
and mentally degrading, abusive, and caused physical and mental trauma for the women
incarcerated. The Magdalene Laundries
were run by Catholic nuns for church profit.

Compensation:

Apology delivered, memorial forthcoming,
reparations forthcoming

Summary:

Following a 1,000 page report detailing the suffering
of women in the Magdalene Laundries and complicity of the Irish state, Irish
Prime Minister Enda Kenny formally apologised for the suffering inflicted upon
the women incarcerated in the Magdalene Laundries. He also offered the construction of a
memorial and reparations of counselling services, health care, and individual
payments to approximately 800 living survivors of the Laundries.